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A New Haven, Connecticut teacher is facing legal trouble after she was caught on video pulling the hair of one of her students.
On Feb. 1, a 49-year-old teacher Jennifer Wells-Jackson pulled the hair of 12-year-old student Destinique James while other students screamed for her to stop, as seen in the video. Wells-Jackson pulled her hair while she was in an altercation with another student, People reported. Police were called to the scene at King/Robinson Interdistrict Magnet School where Wells-Jackson was arrested and charged with risk of injury to a minor and second-degree breach of peace.
“There’s certain things you say and there’s certain things you don’t say, there’s certain things you do and certain things you’re not supposed to do especially when dealing with people’s children,” James’ mother Destinie James told WTNH. “At the end of the day, there’s no justification for putting your hands on someone’s child.”
According to the school’s site, Wells-Jackson was a literary coach at the school and has been teaching there for over 24 years.
“The district takes student safety very seriously,” a rep from. New Haven Public Schools told FOX61. “The school and the district are cooperating fully with the investigation by the New Haven Police Department.”
Wells-Jackson has since been released on $20,000 bond.
WNTH noted that Wells-Jackson is the fourth teacher from the school district to get arrested this year. In January 2022, paraprofessional Sonnetta Powell, 31, was arrested and charged with possession of a weapon on school grounds and breach of peace after being accused of having a loaded gun on the grounds of Brennan-Rogers School, NBC reported. In December 2020, FOX61 reported that teacher Deron Beasley was charged with risk of injury to a minor, ConneC-degree reckless endangerment and third-degree assault after allegedly having a physical altercation with a student at Edgewood School. In November, 46-year-old teacher Paul Vercillo was arrested and charged with risk of injury to a minor, assault in the third degree and disorderly conduct after being accused of attacking a student, WSFB reported.
